Parallel arrangements of positive feedback loops limit cell-to-cell variability in differentiation.

ABSTRACT: Cellular differentiations are often regulated by bistable switches resulting from specific arrangements of multiple positive feedback loops (PFL) fused to one another. Although bistability generates digital responses at the cellular level, stochasticity in chemical reactions causes population heterogeneity in terms of its differentiated states. We hypothesized that the specific arrangements of PFLs may have evolved to minimize the cellular heterogeneity in differentiation. In order to test this we investigated variability in cellular differentiation controlled either by parallel or serial arrangements of multiple PFLs having similar average properties under extrinsic and intrinsic noises. We find that motifs with PFLs fused in parallel to one another around a central regulator are less sus

SUBMITTER: Dey A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5706692 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature